Best bets for the horse racing at Southwell Tuesday 5th February 2018

With respect to those running it’s not the greatest day of horse racing you will ever come across today but I am having a go in what is arguably the race of the day on the all-weather the 3.05 at Southwell the Betway Sprint Handicap.

Foolaad as rated 64 this time last year and runs today off 91 having won four times in 2017 and continued to improve to win his first run of 2018 in January over track and trip; he clearly enjoys this surface. Pearl Acclaim and Midnight Malibu like the Fibresand as well and this isn’t perhaps as straight forward a race as it appears at first glance. I tipped the mare Midnight Malibu when she was beaten by Foolaad last time on 23rd January but the winner got the run of the race that day whilst the mare never really got involved. I can’t help but think the handicapper has caught up with Foolaad now and the mare might be able to turn the form around with more luck in running today. That said neither are well drawn whereas Pearl Acclaim has the one stall, gets in on 75, only 2lb higher than last win over C&D, hails from the yard of David Griffiths that is bang in form over the last few days and the eight-year-old might just be able to lead these a merry dance at a decent enough price of 8-1.